Thinking Outside the Popular Baby Name Box

Have you ever been frustrated to find that a name you’ve loved for years is actually more popular than you thought?

When I was ten or so, I remember thinking the names Piper and Cooper were adorable and unique. While my personal tastes have changed quite bit in the last fifteen years, I still tend to steer clear of names I deem “too popular.” Both of my “unique” choices are now in the SSA Top 100, and I can only watch helplessly as many of the baby names I’ve loved for years trend tragically upwards.

Honestly, I don’t think it’s that big a deal to use a popular name, especially now that a smaller proportion of kids actually have names that rank in the Top 100. But I also know that seeing thousands of other parents using a name is off-putting to many of us. Many of the most chic names today share similar sounds such as “den,” “ell,” or “ev.” Here I’ve compiled a list of names that share attractive sounds with some of the trendiest monikers, but haven’t reached the Top 500 (yet).

It’s clear that this generation of namers loves surname-y sounding names like Mason, Hudson, and Carson, with seven –son names appearing in the boys’ top 100. Less commonly used but equally adorable are: Edison, Pearson, Wilson, Tennyson, and Judson.

From Lily to Lila to Layla, pretty and feminine L names have been popular for quite a while now. Liliosa, Lilou, and Lilibeth are some of my favorite outside-the-box alternatives.

Eight –elle/-ella names appear in the top 100 for girls, but there are tons of untapped options to choose from. Some great ones include Antonella, Ardella, Fiorella, Israella, Maelle/Maella, Kyrielle, and Della/Adela.

Identifying precisely which sounds in your favorite names make them appealing to you is a great way to search for a new, less common choice! Do you think any of your favorites could be replaced by a similar sounding name?

[Originally published on Nameberry – the expert baby name resource. Search thousands of baby names by letter, ethnicity, gender, and more!]

Related

2life: your world made better

We believe that deep, meaningful relationships and partnerships are more important than ever in our rapidly changing world. Our commitment is twofold: first, to enable the communication, love and sharing that foster strong personal relationships; second, to build innovative partnerships with like-minded people, brands, and causes. We are determined to make a difference, not only in the everyday lives of individuals, but also in communities at large.